I'd like to rename this book, Think and Make it Happen by Dr. Augusto Cury, and give it a name that aptly describes what happens when you read this book: clarity and courage infuse your heart and mind, and mental confusion and self-condemnation are on their way to being eradicated. Maybe I would title this book Jesus Thinks too- because many want to depict Him as a completely spiritual being, a Savior with a heart of love, a man humble unto death- but not necessarily as a man in full control of his mental faculties.
Dr. Cury asserts that Jesus is our role model in this crucial area of mental health, though there might be Christians that squirm away from that suggestion. Not because it isn't true, but because it sounds so nonspiritual. But there is nothing holy and spiritual about a broken mind, a depressed person living in the dark, a tormented soul with a neurotic mind- however many verses that tormented mind is reciting. Yes, we need to follow Jesus' example and wash others feet (serve); yes, we need to take up our cross (the cost of discipleship); yes, we need to share the gospel (evangelism)- but what about sharing in the mental health of our Savior as well? He was healthy in mind, sound, clear, cogent.
Ask the secular world how many healthy minded Christians they know and they'll count on one hand. I indict myself here, as well. I was part of the problem, for many years, being sold that deep spirituality often looked crazy, wild, insane. I knew, and still know, many mentally unstable Christians. Is it because we keep getting told that the mind is not as important as the spirit? We keep reading about how to pray, how to serve- but not how to think correctly? How to think clearly? "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he" is a verse we pay little attention to.
What about calling this book, Taking Center Stage: The Outrageous New Position of Today's Christian. No, I'm not referring to being a Glutton for Attention. This is not about the Entertainment Stage- but about the stage of your mind. Who rules your mind? Dr. Cury wants to help people think about this concept.
"Empowering your inner leader means making conscious decisions that will benefit you" he writes. But even here, we Christians might squirm because we automatically assert "But Jesus is supposed to be on the throne of my heart." Yes- but will Jesus actually think for you? Will Jesus do the work of sorting, analyzing, questioning, and deliberating? That is our work to do. It's time more of us started working, and working profitably. The return for this kind of labor is a healthy mind, a mind at peace, a mind clear and perceptive.
Nothing sounds better to me right now than that kind of a mind. It's a crazy world. It's an anxiety-ridden world. There's a deep dark pit you can plunge into if you want to dwell on the possible problems of tomorrow.
But there's light on your path for today, and there's light that can shine in your mind. I call it revelation. And whatever you call this book, whatever you title it, it's worth the read. It's a powerhouse of not only information, but actual food for thought- good thought, good thinking. And that may be the thing we are after- more than we know.
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So, what do you think about the power of your mind? I'd like to know!
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4 comments:
Sounds interesting... it makes me think about the sound mind Jesus had to have when he was being tempted by the devil in the desert.
My personal daily mantra--"You will keep in perfect peace the one who's mind is fixed on You, because he trusts You." Isaiah 26:3
I'll be checking out a copy of this book, sounds like just the sort of thing I need to be reading right now. Hugs~
Feeling yourself slipping away--reciting verses to slow the speedy decent--finding them more “momentary distraction” than “sudden strength”… *Wishing*, furtively, that Jesus *would* just “think for me”… Recognizing the impact of reframing a situation (perspective shifts) to give relationships a new light, erase anxiety, or make the seemingly impossible highly manageable. No, I’d agree— we under-rate the power of our minds. Just the ability of a collection of pages with writing on them (a.k.a. the book in question) to give you a previously unfound strength proves your point. Glad it came to you (both the book, *and* the strength!) ~joanna
That's an especially appropriate verse, Robin-"...whose mind is fixed on You". And I don't think fixing our mind on Him is something that just happens presto-chango! We've got to assert our thinking and bring our thoughts to Him, take them captive. I think Dr. Cury is trying to carefully explain how this works in our brain and what the wonderful inner workings of our brain are like. This is a book that would make for great group discussion and sharing.
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